Politician tells Bisciotti to put a lid on BA's public support for same sex marriage (Merged)

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This is better suited for the politics forum, thus it's been merged there.

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I agree...although I do think the vast majority would think the delegate is a complete and utter moron...regardless of political affiliation.

Which is why I find it curious that the same conservative people who (rightly) call out this douchehammer of a politician for trying to stop someone from expressing himself in a way that millions of other Americans get to have no problem turning around and arguing that gay and lesbian people don't deserve to be married to one another.

Not that this has happened on this board as I've found that most members are more libertarian in nature and most either support gay marriage or universal civil unions. I'm in the latter camp in that I don't think the government has anymore business in my heterosexual business as it does in someone else's homosexual business. I think we should all have civil unions and if the church or temple or mosque or cult or whatever we belong to wants to bless said civil union and call it a marriage than go for that too if it's your thing.

My motto was always to keep swinging. Whether I was in a slump or feeling badly or having trouble off the field, the only thing to do was keep swinging. -Hank Aaron

He will win reelection easily. It's the referendum that's in the works that he won't survive.

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Re: Politician tells Bisciotti to put a lid on BA's public support for same sex marriage (Merged)

The controversy is a bit more complicated than the article makes it sound, though Burns is clearly foolish for sending that letter.

It isn't that BA simply made comments supporting gay marriage, which he has done in the past. It was that he gifted two tickets to Monday's game supporting a fund raiser for an activist political group (Marylanders for Marriage Equality).

Obviously he has every right to do that, as long as the Ravens do not have a problem with it, but he was definitely campaigning on one side of a political issue, and he was doing it as much as a Baltimore Raven as simply Brendon Ayanbadejo (he could have donated money directly to the cause without having his status as a Raven even enter the equation).

The Ravens do not have a problem with it, which is all that matters. But one can imagine how teams might want to limit the extent that their players openly engage in controversial political activism while acting as a member of the team, as opposed to just a citizen. In fact, I suspect the Ravens do have rules/limitations regarding participation in politics while acting as a "Raven," but this instance didn't come close to the line.

Re: Politician tells Bisciotti to put a lid on BA's public support for same sex marriage (Merged)

Originally Posted by HoustonRaven

He will win reelection easily. It's the referendum that's in the works that he won't survive.

Huh? Homosexual marriage rights have been rejected by referenda in 34 consecutive states since 2006, including relatively liberal states such as Hawaii. It seems to me that Mr. Burns is making a political stunt here tied to the upcoming Maryland referendum, for which he can claim to have been on the right side of the issue if it also is rejected by voters. Right or wrong, it looks to me to be a political maneuver which could benefit Mr. Burns. I had never heard of him before, and betcha that's true of most Marylanders outside of his district.

In a 2003 BBC poll that asked Brits to name the "Greatest American Ever", Mr. T came in fourth, behind ML King (3rd), Abe Lincoln (2nd) and Homer Simpson (1st).

Re: Politician tells Bisciotti to put a lid on BA's public support for same sex marriage (Merged)

Originally Posted by Mista T

Huh? Homosexual marriage rights have been rejected by referenda in 34 consecutive states since 2006, including relatively liberal states such as Hawaii. It seems to me that Mr. Burns is making a political stunt here tied to the upcoming Maryland referendum, for which he can claim to have been on the right side of the issue if it also is rejected by voters. Right or wrong, it looks to me to be a political maneuver which could benefit Mr. Burns. I had never heard of him before, and betcha that's true of most Marylanders outside of his district.

What do other states / areas have to do with the voters in his district?

His area of the state is heavily influenced by black evangelicals, who are overwhelmingly opposed to gay marriage. He's simply responding to their whims and yes, he will win his reelection hands down. MD-10 is basically west Baltimore but outside the city lines. Lots of churches and lots of folks opposed and lots of folks opposed to MD's law allowing gay marriages.

The more disturbing part to all of this, IMO, is an elected official actually putting on paper a request to punish someone for speaking their mind. That's far more chilling than anything else.

WARNING: This post may contain material offensive to those who lack wit, humor, common sense and/or supporting factual or anecdotal evidence. All statements and assertions contained herein may be subject to literary devices not limited to: irony, metaphor, allusion and dripping sarcasm.

Re: Politician tells Bisciotti to put a lid on BA's public support for same sex marriage (Merged)

Originally Posted by Mista T

Huh? Homosexual marriage rights have been rejected by referenda in 34 consecutive states since 2006, including relatively liberal states such as Hawaii. It seems to me that Mr. Burns is making a political stunt here tied to the upcoming Maryland referendum, for which he can claim to have been on the right side of the issue if it also is rejected by voters. Right or wrong, it looks to me to be a political maneuver which could benefit Mr. Burns. I had never heard of him before, and betcha that's true of most Marylanders outside of his district.

To which I say, just because it is rejected doesn't mean it's the right side of the issue. Anyone on the "right" side of this issue is better reevaluate their thinking. Pure arrogance on the part of this politician to think he being the 'powerful intellectual' can quiet the 'dumb jock'. One day BA's belief will become a reality and Delegate Dumbass will be somewhere claiming he was for it all along.

Re: Politician tells Bisciotti to put a lid on BA's public support for same sex marriage (Merged)

Originally Posted by JMUpurkfool

To which I say, just because it is rejected doesn't mean it's the right side of the issue. Anyone on the "right" side of this issue is better reevaluate their thinking. Pure arrogance on the part of this politician to think he being the 'powerful intellectual' can quiet the 'dumb jock'. One day BA's belief will become a reality and Delegate Dumbass will be somewhere claiming he was for it all along.

I totally agree with you, man. This issue will one day seem as ridiculous as when women and minorities didn't have voting rights. People are people. Get over it. This guy looks as foolish as DC's Marion Berry, who voted to pass the DC marriage equality bill, and then publicly stated that he wasn't paying attention to what he was voting for, and asked for a re-vote. Only foolish people let foolish people speak for them.